After Greyhound shut its transit services across Canada, Guelph is looking to fill the gaps in the city.
Last week, the City of Guelph, University of Guelph and Guelph Chamber of Commerce called on the province to increase Metrolinx service.
“We write to raise inter-regional connectivity issues in our community that have been exacerbated by the recent closure of Greyhound,” read a letter to the minister of transportation signed by the three groups.
“In particular, we recommend the creation of an express route between Toronto and Guelph to replace the loss of Greyhound.”
The group stated that it supports the infrastructure that needs to be developed for all-day, two-way GO trains and in the medium term, welcomes more transit routes between communities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe and Southwestern Ontario to address broader service gap and connectivity issues.
“Expediting the implementation of bus lanes along highways 6 and 7 would also accommodate faster inter-regional travel and connect nearby municipalities,” reads the letter.
Greyhound permanently shut down all bus routes in Canada after nearly a century in business. The company’s intercity bus operations were very prominent in Guelph and allowed direct routes to Toronto and Kitchener.
The letter stated that quickly evolving commuter trends and growing demand for inter-regional connectivity highlights the importance of all-day, two-way GO while pointing to a greater need for public transportation options in the Greater Golden Horseshoe and in Southwestern Ontario.
It also states that gaps in inter-regional connectivity, widened by the closure of Greyhound, will prove to be challenging for our community as Guelph reopens this summer and as the student population returns to campus.
An estimated 60 per cent of U of G’s 25,000 students are said to be from the GTA. Many students, staff and faculty use the inter-regional transit to get to Guelph.
“University of Guelph students are a key local economic driver, spending $370 million each year and generating over 5000 jobs,” states the letter.
“These economic benefits are at risk if students, faculty, staff and other workers are unable to commute from the GTA to Guelph.”
The groups also state that public transit is a greener option for students and workers to get around in the city.
